What Should Dogs Eat: What a ‘Balanced’ Diet Really Means

Ask ten dog owners what a “balanced diet” looks like, and you’ll get ten different answers.

Some will say kibble, and others may say a frozen pouch. Many pet parents land somewhere in the middle, cooking up meals of chicken, bones, rice, and vegetables, hoping they are doing the right thing.

Most dog owners want to feed their pet correctly. But somewhere between conflicting advice, lengthy recipes, and strong opinions online, feeding your dog starts to feel far more complicated than it should be.

What most people do not realize is that food “looking healthy” and food being nutritionally complete are not the same thing. 

Dogs need very specific nutrients to support everything from their immune system to their energy, digestion, and long-term health. 

Why Dog Diets Feel So Confusing

The problem is that feeding advice comes from everywhere: vets, breeders, social media, pet stores, and friends. It quickly turns into too many options and not enough clarity.

Each approach is supported by strong opinions, which makes it difficult to know what is actually appropriate.

Raw feeding in particular can feel complicated. Traditional approaches often involve long ingredient lists and detailed preparation, which can create the impression that they require a high level of expertise to do correctly. 

As a result, many owners either avoid it altogether or attempt to simplify it in a way that removes important nutritional components.

The confusion does not come from a lack of effort. It comes from a lack of clear, practical guidance on what balance actually requires.

What People Think is Healthy vs What is Actually Healthy

There is a common assumption that fresh, whole foods automatically translate to a balanced diet.

The Most Common Feeding Mistake: Chicken and Vegetables

Meals such as chicken with vegetables, or similar combinations, appear to meet that standard. They are simple, recognizable, and align with what people understand as “healthy” in their own diets.

However, visual simplicity does not equate to nutritional completeness.

Dogs require specific levels of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and trace nutrients to support core functions such as immune health, growth, digestion, and energy regulation. 

These elements are not always present in basic combinations of meat and vegetables, even when those ingredients are high quality.

What a “Balanced” Diet Means for Dogs

A balanced diet is defined by nutritional completeness, not by the category of food being fed.

It ensures that a dog receives all required nutrients in appropriate proportions, consistently over time. This includes not only protein and energy, but also the full range of micronutrients that support long-term health and physiological function.

The challenge is not understanding that balance is important. It is implementing it in a way that is practical and repeatable.

Rather than relying on complex, do-it-yourself formulations, a structured approach simplifies the process. 

A foundational base provides the necessary vitamins and minerals. When protein is added to these base mixes, it completes the balanced meal.

This removes the need to calculate or approximate nutritional balance with each meal.  It provides consistent essential nutrients, with the ability to rotate proteins.

Essential Nutrients for Dogs

Dogs require a defined set of nutrients to function effectively.

These include amino acids from protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that support processes such as immune response, tissue repair, neurological function, and metabolic regulation. Each plays a specific role, and deficiencies or imbalances can impact health, even if not immediately visible.

Basic meal combinations often do not account for this level of detail. While they may provide adequate protein and some micronutrients, they often lack the full spectrum needed for long-term support.

A balanced approach addresses these requirements in a structured way. It ensures that all essential nutrients are present in appropriate ratios, without requiring the owner to manage each component individually.

In practical terms, balance is consistent completeness.

Fresh Feeding Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Many approaches rely on detailed recipes, multiple ingredients, and precise calculations. For most dog owners, this creates hesitation. It feels time-consuming, difficult to get right, and easy to make mistakes.

This perception leads to two common outcomes. Some owners avoid fresh feeding entirely. Others attempt to simplify it on their own, often by reducing it to basic combinations that no longer meet a dog’s full nutritional needs.

When the foundational nutrients are already accounted for, fresh feeding becomes far more practical. It shifts from building meals from scratch to assembling a complete meal using a clear, repeatable method.

Variety Matters More Than People Think

A common pattern is to find a protein that works well and continue using it exclusively. While this may produce short-term stability, it can limit nutritional diversity over time.

Different proteins contribute to different amino acid profiles, fats, and micronutrient levels. Rotating protein sources supports a more varied nutrient intake and contributes to a more resilient system overall.

Introducing variety does not require drastic changes. It can be done gradually, allowing the dog to adjust while maintaining stability in the rest of the diet.

A Better Way to Think About Feeding Your Dog with Volhard

Our approach is designed to provide structure without removing the benefits of fresh feeding.

The Natural Diet Foundation 2 (NDF2) serves as a complete dehydrated base, combining whole foods and beneficial herbs to supply essential nutrients. It is intended to be paired with the fresh protein of your choice, creating a balanced meal without the need for additional supplementation.

The process is simple and consistent:

1. Mix NDF2 with fresh protein, such as 80/20 ground beef, raw or lightly cooked, along with water as directed
2. Allow the base to rehydrate for approximately five minutes
3. Serve a meal that provides both hydration and complete nutrition

This structure ensures that balance is built into every bowl, while still allowing flexibility in protein selection.

For pet parents not yet ready to make the move to fresh feeding, Volhard's Endurance can help supplement your pet's nutritional needs. Volhard’s Endurance formula is a dehydrated topper made with non-GMO ingredients that provides a natural source of amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. 

It is designed to complement both home-prepared and commercial diets, helping replenish micronutrients that may be lost during cooking or processing.

Endurance can be particularly beneficial for dogs with higher activity levels, those in recovery, or those requiring additional nutritional support to maintain overall vitality and digestive health.

Choosing the NDF2 diet or supplementing your dog's current diet with Endurnace removes unnecessary complexity while ensuring that nutritional requirements are consistently met.

Feeding becomes less about managing individual ingredients and more about maintaining a system that supports the dog over time.

Supporting Your Dog’s System with Volhard

For more advice on dog nutrition, health, and training, contact us and check out our other blogs, too!

Volhard Dog Nutrition and its expert canine nutrition coaches offer online consultations to help more dog parents discover why and how to feed their dogs the healthiest foods!

Speaking to a Volhard canine nutrition coach will help you understand the inseparable relationship between healthy food, a healthy body, and a healthy mind.

If you want to contact one of our Volhard canine nutrition coaches, you can do so by utilizing our Live Chat feature or scheduling a consultation.

References: 

“Complete and Balanced Pet Food.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 28 Feb. 2020, https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/complete-and-balanced-pet-food. 

“Dog Nutrition: Guide to Dog Food Nutrients.” PetMD, 17 June 2025, https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_dg_whats_in_a_balanced_dog_food. 

“Nutrition: General Feeding Guidelines for Dogs.” VCA Animal Hospitals, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutrition-general-feeding-guidelines-for-dogs.

Kazimierska, K., et al. “Evaluation of Nutritional Value and Microbiological Safety in Dry Dog Foods.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2021, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8100497/. 

Aimee Heath. “How Food Impacts Behavior.” Volhard Pack Podcast, episode, Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/episode/2CKn7D7kd2cdmu2p5ZNHK7.